“All it took was one guy to kick up a bit of dust to get things in an uproar and change the national conversation.”
Speaking from his hospital bed in Morningside Mediclinic on Wednesday, broadcaster Tom London was exhausted, overwhelmed, “clinging to my bed so they don’t send me back to Helen Joseph [hospital]”, but simultaneously gratified and chuffed to the core.
London made news headlines this week after he posted a video rant about patient care at a Johannesburg government hospital on Facebook on Saturday morning. He had spent 13 days in hospital being treated for a lung infection before taking the extreme decision to have his say and discharge himself.
“I was at the point where it was just too much. The mattress was thin, everything in the bathroom was busted, and the food was shocking — but it was OK. I’m a state patient; resources are scarce. But that morning, I watched the guy opposite me die. For two days, he had been screaming like an animal while five doctors restraining him for a lumbar puncture chatted about local restaurants and where they wanted to go for dinner.
“That man died on Saturday, and there were flies in the ward. There were flies crawling all over the body, and then flies all over me. I just couldn’t take it any more and decided to leave. But first I made that video,” London told TimesLIVE Premium.
On his way out, he was warned by a doctor that he would die if he did not immediately seek hospital treatment. He was told if he had a problem, he should call the hospital complaint line.
“For the first time, I got my diagnosis — I have empyema, which is basically infected pus in the pleural cavity. And I should just call a complaints line? I mean, seriously? I just wanted to go home.”
London’s post immediately went viral on Facebook and was quickly picked up by mainstream media. By late afternoon London started featuring in interviews with broadcast, print and online media houses.
“I had no idea that my video would turn the national conversation upside down.”
Having spent the past two weeks in hospital and unable to work, London had just R1,000 left in his bank and was literally facing death. Again, he turned to social media, posted an appeal to all his friends on Facebook and got his nephew to drive him to Morningside Mediclinic.
“By the time we arrived there, there was R70,000 in my account. I was admitted, and within a couple of days, the balance was up to R120,000.”
The fallout from his rant continued. He was visited by politicians, political parties, health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi. The mother of the man whose death he had described reached out to him and was able to get London to identify the body for her — confirming that the man was indeed the wayward son with addiction issues who had been missing for weeks.
The media attention, requests for interviews and visits and messages from friends, colleagues and acquaintances flowed in constantly throughout the week.
I was so impressed. It’s a good start. The South African Medical Association has also told me that they are relooking at their training, and even the unions have come to talk to me about their frustrations.”
— Tom London
“It has been crazy. I am exhausted. I am sick, and yet I haven’t worked this hard in years. I somehow spoke out about things that were never spoken about. Nobody ever talks about doctors. Patients are terrified and desperate, so they are nice. They don’t complain, they just keep quiet,” London said.
“But I didn’t. I went for the jugular. I didn’t just moan about a busted bathroom. I spoke about people. About dignity and respect. In many ways this has been the worst personal experience of my entire life, but in many others, it has been the best,” London said, referring to the thousands of messages of affirmation and support he has received.
“I never thought of myself as the guy everybody loves. But then I spoke about my experience, and it resonated with tens, hundreds and even hundreds of thousands of people. Millions are dissatisfied with the inhumane treatment in state hospitals, so when I took off about it, it just unleashed this massive wave of anger and frustration.”
He was encouraged when Wits University health sciences dean Prof Shabir Madhi this week reacted by sending out a two-page instruction to all staff, alumni and students addressing the issue of patient care, reminding them of their oath and obligations to society.
“I was so impressed. It’s a good start. The South African Medical Association has also told me that they are relooking at their training, and even the unions have come to talk to me about their frustrations.”
While London’s health remains dire — his empyema has developed to the point where it cannot be treated only with antibiotics, nor can it be drained — and he now needs to undergo thoracic surgery to have it cut out.
The procedure costs R250,000 and, if he cannot afford it, will have to be done at Helen Joseph Hospital.
“I am not going back there. I am not letting people I pissed off operate on me,” said the man whose friends have launched a Back-a-Buddy page to crowdfund his surgery. Within a day, the balance hit R70,000.
“Now desperate people from all over the country are coming to me for help. They have seen that I was able to save myself, and now they want me to save them,” he said.
Overwhelmed by ongoing reactions and far-reaching impacts, London said he was eager to continue using the momentum drummed up for good.
“I am not political; I think of myself as the voice of the reasonable man. If this is an opportunity to be part of a change, to sit with people who have the power to fix things, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
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